Dancing with the Devil
by lostinmysticfalls
Summary: Charlie and Bass have to do a little pretending but it can only go so far before one of them caves and expresses their true feelings. One Shot. Charloe.


**Just another one-shot featuring my favorite pairing. Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

**Dancing with the Devil**

* * *

"Why does it have to be Charlie?" Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, turning away from Bass and looking out the dilapidated window of the safe house. Miles rubbed his forehead with his hand, running his fingers through his hair and failing to come up with a concrete answer. He was worried, that much was evident.

"Can you please not speak about me like I'm not here?" Charlie chimed in, irritated by the fact that her mother was once again treating her like a child. "It's not the first time I have to pretend to be something I'm not." She looked at Miles for reassurance and then at Bass.

Bass tilted his head as if agreeing with her. "Like it or not, Charlie and I work well together." His reply caused Rachel to lash out in a defensive manner.

"I don't trust you. Don't you dare lay a finger on her." She approached him with fire in her eyes, already imagining the things he was capable of doing.

Charlie sighed loudly, throwing her hands up and pacing across the room to sit on the lonesome wooden chair by the bed. She leaned forward, her legs spread out and her forearms resting on her thighs. "I can take care of myself."

Bass remained silent, trying his best not to turn Rachel into an uncontrollable, red-eyed beast. Miles placed his hand on her shoulder in an effort to calm her down. "I'm sure Bass wouldn't actually go that far. Even if it was just pretend." He glanced at him inquisitively, crinkling his brow.

"Why are you putting all the responsibility on him? I'm a grown woman, I can make my own decisions. You two are acting like I can't think for myself." Charlie grimaced. She shot Bass a look, waiting for him to say something.

"I've been nothing but respectful towards Charlie. It won't be any different this time around. We have things under control." He glanced at her. "Isn't that right, kid?"

This time it was her whose stare burned like blazing torches. She hated when he called her kid. Uncle Miles was the only one who used that nickname with her. Coming from anyone else, especially from him, was almost insulting. She rolled her eyes, "Can we get going now?"

* * *

The border crossing was only a few miles away from the house they had found. Since their run-in with Tom Neville, Miles and Bass had been inclined to find out what the former militant had been cooking up. And after much debate, they'd all agreed to let Charlie accompany Bass to a local social event where they were sure to gather intel.

"What kind of assholes auction off women anyway?" Charlie asked, sifting through a crate of old clothes.

"Keep your voice down." Bass warned her, opening a larger crate and pulling out a pair of black slacks. He checked the waist size, twisting his mouth displeased.

They had been forced to break into one of the houses belonging to someone higher up on the totem pole. They barely had enough money to buy food, let alone something fancy enough for the gathering.

"I'm just saying. This whole thing is rather degrading. I'm basically your ticket in. If that doesn't scream 'property,' I don't know what does." Charlie tugged at a black dress, it was long and slick with a narrow slit along the side. She raised her eyebrows, noticing the plunging neckline. The silky material felt like butter in her hands. She'd never handled anything so fine and expensive.

Bass found another pair of slacks and a matching jacket. He looked around the room for a spare shirt. At this point finding a tie would be a miracle and he wasn't about to start praying. "It is what it is, Charlotte. When you have wealth and power the lines of common decency become kind of blurred."

She hummed, "You would know."

He opened his mouth to argue but then realized there was some truth to her statement and instead concentrated on finding the remaining pieces to his outfit. They finished ransacking the place and slipped out through the window, making their escape into the dark and crisp night. They found a creek along the way which they used to freshen up and wash some of the trip's residue off their face and limbs.

* * *

They settled into an abandoned building that had once served as an entertainment venue of some sort. There were squared black tables and chairs scattered around. In the back, a decrepit bar, and on its walls ripped posters of old musicians and sports teams. Some areas of the wall only contained the hanging cables to which televisions had once been attached. Bass took out an oil lamp and set it on the bar to give the room some much needed lighting.

"You brought all that?" He asked incredulous as Charlie unpacked her bag.

"And this!" She pulled out a grey tie and threw it at him.

She laid out the makeup on a dusty table. "You want me to look my best don't you? How else am I supposed to pull off that dress otherwise?" She snapped back.

He cracked a smile, a rarity to her eyes since most of the time he only did it when he was being an arrogant bastard. "Thank you for the tie. I'm gonna get ready. I suggest you do the same." He replied.

She nodded, taking her stuff and a spare oil lamp and stepping into another section of the building, away from his privy eyes. After a good half hour she returned, finding him dressed in a black suit and the tie she'd found for him. He'd done something to his hair, it looked different and took off at least five years. Charlie couldn't deny that he looked good. _Really good_. There was a slight tug in her stomach as she caught him staring back at her.

His eyes widened in astonishment, the ability to utter a single word abandoning him for a minute. She walked slowly, still getting used to the high heels on her feet. Her hair fell in waves, somehow managing to look effortlessly radiant. She'd made good use of the makeup but was careful not to obscure her features to the point of making her unrecognizable. On the contrary, she'd emphasized them quite well. Her lips looked fuller, a shade of red covering them and tempting him like a forbidden apple.

"Who are you and what have you done with Charlie?" He finally stated.

She beamed, showing off her immaculately white teeth. "Charming." Her reply was sarcastic but it somehow caused her heart to jump and her stomach to twirl erratically.

His eyes left her face, roaming over the rest of her. The dress' neckline molded to her breasts, forming perfect curvatures and producing an enticing cleavage. He was finding it hard to look away. She looked like an angel, if angels dressed in black and could fatally wound a man with a single shot. "They'll let us in without a question." Bass said, noticing the slit that ran up her leg before returning his gaze to her face.

"Just do me a favor and don't sell me off to anyone." She said.

He laughed, thinking she was joking at first. But the expression on her face told him she was being dead serious.

"I promised to keep you safe and that's exactly what I'm going to do." He replied, giving her another once-over before finally heading out.

* * *

Word at the party was that Neville had been busy climbing up the ranks. He had managed to infiltrate the Patriots' headquarters with the help of Julia, who Bass and Charlie found out was now married to one of the Patriots. Jason had been sent out with the other military men to gather more support. Together, the Nevilles had gained allies left and right. Bass knew that he'd stop at nothing until he reached total domination and that including wiping out his enemies.

"He'll come after me soon." He told Charlie as he sipped on his drink. "We have plenty of unfinished business."

They'd been hanging around like wallflowers since they'd arrive at the party, only leaving each other's sight when they each had to use the restroom. Bass had been right, the man managing the door only had to look at Charlie once before granting them entrance. And the fact that drinks were being served without charge only made everyone around them chattier. They didn't have to ask twice before someone was telling them their whole life story. And that also included Tom Neville's rise to power.

"You're not afraid of him, are you?" Charlie questioned him, her drink only partially full.

"Let's just say I'm not exactly looking forward to it." He stared deep into her eyes and she chugged the rest of her drink out of pure trepidation.

They were interrupted by a tall man in a maroon suit. His hair was combed back, exposing streaks of grey on its sides. "Does this beauty happen to be a participant in tonight's auction?" He looked at Charlie with starving eyes, almost salivating. It made her stomach churn in disgust.

His hand came up with the intention to stroke her cheek but Bass stepped in the way, forcing him to retract. "I'm afraid not." His tone was grave as a feeling of over-protectiveness took over him.

"That's a shame. I would've bid my life savings for the chance to spend some quality time with such a sweet thing." His gaze never left Charlie's and she looked at him with dagger eyes. She longed to shoot an arrow through his chest just to wipe that stupid grin off his face. He finally stepped away and went about his business, winking at her in the process.

"Disgusting." Charlie said under her breath. "You have no idea how much I wanted to give him a piece of my mind. This whole being subservient thing isn't for me." She paused for a second before noticing a familiar face amongst the crowd. "Neville. Two o'clock. He's coming our way."

Bass didn't wait for her to finish talking. He clasped her hand and pulled her into the crowded dance floor. Charlie kept an eye on Neville as they blended in, noticing he was busy talking to another man. Bass turned her around so he could get a look at what was happening. He placed his hand on the small of her back and drew her in with a natural smoothness that made her breathing hitch. Their bodies swayed from side to side to the sound of the music playing in the background. Charlie caught sight of the man providing the entertainment, trying anything to distract her from Bass' close proximity. His scent only clouded her thoughts further.

She concentrated on breathing properly, while he focused on Neville and the people he was interacting with. After a few minutes, his former second-in-command seemed bored with the festivities and made his way out the door. "I think he dropped by just to make sure people knew he was here." Bass said against Charlie's ear, causing a ripple of hot breath to travel along her neck. "Either way, we can't afford to be seen here. The intel we've gathered so far is a good starting point. Miles and I will figure things out."

"Okay." Charlie's voice was a puff of shaky air.

Bass pulled his face away from her, looking into her pools of blue and then at the heavenly shape of her mouth. His hand was still on her lower back and it seemed to burn into her skin the longer he kept it there. He slowed down his pace, unable to stop himself from looking down at her chest and noticing how her breasts were pressed up against him. He felt a rush of heat travel to his cock and condemned himself for imagining what she would look like out of that dress. Every time he felt himself slipping, he'd remember the conversation with Miles and Rachel back at the safe house. He assured them he wouldn't let anything happen between them.

Someone on the floor announced the starting of the auction and Neville once again walked back into the room. Charlie noticed him scanning the crowd and didn't hesitate for one second to do what she deemed necessary. Her hands took a hold of Bass' face as her red lips wrapped around his, his facial hair applying pressure to her soft skin. Her stomach was in turmoil and Bass' chest felt like it was going to explode into a million pieces, unaware of Charlie's reason for kissing him. She might have done it to try to conceal their faces but the beating of her heart told her she was enjoying it far too much.

When she finally released her grasp on him, she simply pressed her forehead against his and whispered into his lipstick-stained mouth. "He's back, we need to get out of here."

* * *

Bass kept his stride, the kiss replaying over and over in his head like a video on loop. They reached the building and he stood back, allowing her to go in first. She smiled, her red lips curving coyly. It wasn't until they were inside that she finally slipped off her shoes.

Bass closed the door behind him. "This isn't a game, Charlie."

She looked at him bewildered. "Excuse me?"

He grinned at her mockingly. The kind of grins she didn't appreciate. "Are you trying to get me in deep shit with Miles and Rachel?" Bass was unable to comprehend any other reason for her actions.

Charlie rolled her eyes, smiling at him with a cocky attitude. "I did what I had to do to avoid being seen." She lowered her glance, staring at her bare feet and feeling the scorching heat in her stomach at the thought. "Besides, Miles and Rachel don't have to know about it."

Bass cocked his head to the side. "What kind of games are you playing, kid? Don't dance with the devil unless you're prepared for the consequences."

She laughed, "It's a little late for that now, isn't it?" Her expression went cold, "And why do you insist on calling me kid?" She eyed him cautiously as she paced towards him. The thought of the kiss made her mouth crave his taste.

"Why does it bother you so much? Miles does it all the time."

She grumbled. "Miles is Miles and you–" she paused, "You're you." The truth was, she didn't want Bass to see her as a kid. She wanted him to see her as a woman—as his equal. "Is that how you see me?" The words came out of her mouth without thinking.

Bass sighed but otherwise remained silent. She'd felt it before, that spark, that connection that seemed to surface every time they were together. She couldn't have imagined it. God, she hoped she hadn't. Otherwise she was making a big jackass out of herself. She turned around, unable to keep her eyes on him any longer. So what if he didn't want her that way? It was Sebastian Monroe, the heartless leader of the Republic, why did she even care? Her chest felt tight, like it was being compressed. A feeling of anxiety took over her, it was fight-or-flight and she was scanning the room for the nearest escape route.

Bass' eyes lingered on her backside. He wondered how she'd managed to move around in that thing without splitting it in half. The bends of her body were perfectly accentuated. Really, she was the one doing the dress a favor. "No." He muttered, finally answering her question. "You could be five or ten years younger than me and I'd still be tempted to call you that."

Charlie gulped, a slight smile appearing on her face. She took a breathe and turned back to face him. There it was again, that look he gave her from time to time, like he was slowly undressing her with his gaze. She felt the effects in her core, moisture building up between her legs as he watched his eyes scan her figure. "What are you thinking about?" She muttered.

"Trust me, Charlotte. You don't want to know." He replied.

Charlie stepped forward closing the gap that existed between them. She looked up at him, feeling her center aching with need. Her heart was sputtering against her ribcage like a helpless bird wanting to take flight. "Okay. Don't tell me." She said, her mouth hovering dangerously close to his. "Why don't you show me instead?" Her hot breath touched his lips, causing a reaction in his pants.

He couldn't believe Charlie Matheson was practically asking him to fuck her. There had been so many times he'd dreamt up that scenario that he almost felt like he had to pinch himself to make sure this was real. "Charlie–" he was cut short by the brushing of her lips. They barely touched, the little minx still had the audacity to tease him.

He finally took a firm hold of her face. Their lips collided with passionate force and he began biting down on her lip. Charlie felt weak in the knees, finally getting the response she'd been expecting from him. Their tongues were as engaged as two sharp blades battling for constant dominance. Hot exhales and little moans escaped their throats and Charlie's hands began tugging at the tie around his neck. Bass slid off his jacket and when the tie was loose enough, he continued on to remove his shirt. He placed both atop one of the tables, covering their dusty surface.

Charlie bit down on her lip, her eyes sweeping over his well-defined abs and chest. She couldn't resists sliding her hands over his sculpted shoulders. His skin was warm and surprisingly soft to the touch. Her toes pushed her up high enough to bring her mouth to his neck, right below his ear. A gratifying chill ran down Bass' back when he felt her wet tongue touch his skin. She kissed the area hard, nipping at it enough to form a bruise—a reminder that she was claiming him as hers. His hand ran up her leg, the slit giving him easy access to the round curvatures of her ass. Charlie's breathing was fast, hands exploring every inch of him as he worked on pulling down her undergarments and letting them glide down her legs.

His slacks were undone in a matter of seconds, her hands working double time. Bass kicked off his shoes, letting the slacks fall to the ground before stepping out of them. Charlie noticed his erection pushing against the only remaining piece of clothing covering his body. Lips crashed against each other once again as he unzipped her dress. He let it drift down to the floor, taking great pleasure in finally knowing what she looked like without anything on.

Her perky, round breasts were begging to be touched. He grabbed her by the waist, pulling her up and laying her down on the table on top of the clothes he had removed. She looked like a goddess, sprawled out on the table like the most exquisite delicacy. A delicacy that only he would be enjoying because in this moment Bass realized he wanted Charlie Matheson to be his and only his. He removed his underwear, freeing his erection. And he hovered over her, his hands finally coming in contact with the supple skin of her breasts. Her nipples were hard and he teased them with his fingers, making her moan loudly. She moved underneath him, their naked bodies producing electrifying friction.

The scruffiness of his beard scraped her skin, filling her with a delicious sensation that enveloped her whole body. Bass kissed her stomach, his hot tongue trailing over her belly button. Charlie could feel her wetness running down her inner thighs. And the ache in her center only intensified the more he touched her. He came back up to her mouth, placing kisses over her lips, her chin, her neck, anywhere he could.

"I need you." She whimpered, watching how his eyes darkened with lust.

Bass pulled back. He could see how wet she was, he stroked his cock a couple times, before brushing it up and down her slit. It shimmered with her moisture, making his length silkier. He grabbed her legs, placing her feet at the edge of the table and positioning himself to enter her. His chest pounded with anticipation. Charlie sighed as he filled her up, feeling how her walls stretched to accommodate his size. A groan escaped Bass' lips when he became aware of the tight grip around his cock. He pushed himself in further and then pulled out at an even pace until she was ordering him to go faster, harder. He never got tired of hearing his name on her lips every time he slammed into her.

As the minutes passed, they both became covered in a sheet of perspiration and the room became inundated with their sounds. One of her legs came over his shoulder and he pulled her closer to him, pounding her with force the more she moaned and whimpered. Charlie could feel her center saturated with her imminent discharge. She arched her back, receiving him at a different angle before she shattered beneath him. A ripple of pleasure washed over her, as her core pulsed with sweet satisfaction.

Bass continued pumping into her and she pulled him forward, placing her hands on the back of his neck and kissing him ravenously. As the remaining effects of her release dissipated, Charlie smiled into his mouth, producing in him the same reaction. She never realized how much she liked to see him smile until then. She pushed herself up to a seated position, forcing him to pull out, his cock glistening with her residue.

Charlie got off the table, giving him tantalizing bedroom eyes as she reached for the jacket that had been underneath her. She threw it over a chair that was behind him, closing in on him and practically pushing him on it. Bass loved the fire in her—the way she could go from tender and sweet to demanding and controlling. With Charlie, he never knew what he was gonna get and that was one of the things he loved most about her. She positioned herself over him, using her own hand to guide his stiff length into her opening. It slipped in easily and she began to swerve over his lap, gaining great pleasure in seeing him relish in the feeling. His hands busied themselves with her breasts and she rode him even harder than before, grasping his hair and nipping at his lips. It was passionate and unrestrained. Charlie knew she was close to reaching climax once again and right when she teetered over the edge, Bass let out a heaving grunt that alerted her he was spilling into her that very moment. His hands clenched her ass and he muttered her name into her ear, her own core bursting and mixing her release with his. Heavy breathing and sticky bodies was all that remained after they both came down from their euphoric high.

She unlatched herself from him, not before giving him another long kiss. She walked away, so sensually that Bass felt ready to take her once again. They fetched their belongings from inside one of the cabinets and she glanced at him coyly as they both got dressed. That had been the kind of dance for which she was more than willing to pay the consequences.

Charlie told herself that the hunger for him would diminish. A part of her was confident that after finally giving in to her desire, she would stop wanting him. She couldn't have been more wrong. It was as if they'd turned into a pair of magnets, becoming drawn to each other the closer their proximity. And Bass, who thought all feelings had been stripped from him, found that there was no one he cared about more than this girl. He wanted to be there for her, protect her, and at the same time ravish her to exhaustion, especially when her sharp tongue got the best of him. They had both sparked a fire that was quickly spreading out of control.

* * *

**Reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks! xoxo**


End file.
